


The Roof

by andthestarsthatshine



Category: The Mindy Project
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-05
Updated: 2013-12-05
Packaged: 2018-01-03 12:45:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1070606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andthestarsthatshine/pseuds/andthestarsthatshine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU - what if Cliff didn't show up? Set in and after 2x11.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Roof

Mindy stood out on the roof, shivering slightly at the cold, rubbing her arms with her hands in an attempt to warm herself up. She couldn't help but think about that moment she had with Danny. It was a moment, right? She knew she wanted to kiss him and by the way he started leaning in, she knew he wanted the same thing but she couldn't figure out why he wouldn't join her out here. Was it because he didn't get the hint? No. That can't be it. She only mentioned it to him yesterday and his memory's not that bad.

'Hey.' A familiar voice came from behind her, startling her from her thoughts. She turned around and smiled. Maybe she'll have her romantic moment after all.

'You came.' She smiled up at him brightly and moved forward just a little.

'Yeah. I figured you would need this.' Danny handed her her coat. 'It's cold out here and if you insist on standing out here, at least keep warm.'

She slipped into her coat, a small smile still gracing her features and she stepped closer still as he stood there just looking at her with that intense gaze that she couldn't draw her eyes away from.

She placed her hands lightly on his chest and, to her surprise, he stepped back.

'Danny?' she asked, confusion written all over her face.

'That's not why I'm here.'

'Then why are you here?' She was becoming a little frustrated and she crossed her arms over her chest.

'I just...I didn't want you to be on your own.'

'Seriously? Danny, I don't understand you sometimes.' She shook her head and turned around to look out over New York.

Danny shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and stood beside her. 'Min, I don't want this. Not like this.'

She turned her face to look at him, her eyes full of questions. His eyes were focused straight ahead of him, locked on to the sight of the Empire State Building.

'You know how you're always looking for your big romantic moment at the Empire State Building?' He turned to look at her and continued when she nodded slightly. 'Or how you're always trying to create these perfect romantic moments, like out here? Well, I'm not that kind of guy. I don't believe it's the place that makes the moment romantic but it's the moment that makes the place romantic.'

He turned himself fully to face her as she did the same. 'Min, what I'm getting at is I don't want us to be contrived. I don't want this to happen in something you've orchestrated. I want it to be natural. I want it to  _feel_ natural. And I want both of us to want the same thing.'

She looked at him in silence not quite knowing what to say to him.

'Mindy? Please say something. You normally can't shut up. Did the cold freeze your mouth shut?' He laughed nervously and started rubbing the back of his neck.

'What exactly did it mean to you? Just then, in my office. What did it mean?'

'I don't know exactly. I guess I wanted to kiss you and I almost did but I knew I would've regretted it.' When he saw the flash of hurt in her eyes he hastily added, 'Not because I would've regretted anything happening between us, it's just I wanted us to - oh boy - I wanted you to want what I wanted as well.'

'And what is that you want?'

He wasn't even certain he was ready for this conversation yet but here he was and there was no going back now. He could barely control the words coming out of his mouth. 'I want something real, Min. I don't want something casual like you had with Jeremy. I don't want just one night and then we act awkward around each other at work. I want something more than that. I wasn't really lying that time I said that I didn't ask to be your friend. I mean, I'm glad we're friends, but I never asked to fall for you. Honestly, I don't know what to do with this.'

'Oh.' That was all she could say. She never knew how he felt. He had fallen for her? She was saved from having to think of something to say when they were interrupted by Morgan yelling at them to come back inside.

* * *

'Guys, we need a photo of the whole gang. I borrowed my grandmother's camera,' Morgan spoke enthusiastically.

'Morgan, how old is that thing?' Jeremy spoke up unimpressed by the monstrosity in front of him.

'It's not that old. Forty, fifty years maybe.'

'That's ridiculous! I have a camera on my phone that can take better pictures!'

'But Dr Reed, can you set a timer on it?' Morgan raised an eyebrow at Jeremy inquisitively.

'Yes.' Jeremy looked around at everyone in disbelief.

'Oh. Ok we can use that.'

Jeremy set up his phone when he noticed something. 'Oooh, look who's standing under the strategically placed mistletoe!'

Everyone looked up at the ceiling and much to Danny's dismay, the mistletoe was dangling precariously above him and Mindy. 

'Kiss her, Dr C!' Morgan yelled, causing everyone else to join in.

'No. Not happening!' Danny yelled over everyone else.

'Danny, come on. A quick peck won't hurt.' Mindy whispered from beside him, her hand squeezing the tips of his fingers lightly. 

'Didn't anything I say out there get through to you? I don't want us to be contrived,' he whispered back to her and she could see the hurt look in his eyes. He moved away from her and yelled again 'Not happening!' before storming into his office.

* * *

Three weeks. Three weeks of awkwardness between the two. She had gotten over Cliff already, resigning herself to that never happening but she missed talking to Danny dearly.

She barged into Danny's office one day. 'So we might as well have had sex then!' 

Danny looked up perplexed by her coming in with such an outburst. He was sure she had been ignoring him for the past three weeks following his sort of confession.

'What are you talking about?' Danny asked slowly.

'Well, everything's awkward between us anyway, isn't it?'

'Yeah, because you decided to ignore me! I mean, if you don't feel the same, that's fine, but you didn't have to ignore me!'

'I wasn't ignoring you! You were ignoring me!'

Danny opened his mouth to speak again but thought better of it. He paused, considering what he should say. 'I guess we both got our wires crossed?'

'Well, maybe you did.'

'Mindy.'

'Ok, fine. Maybe we did. I've missed you, Danny.'

His heart did a little backflip at hearing that and he hated the bubble of hope forming inside him.

'And you were wrong by the way,' Mindy said shyly.

'What?'

'I do feel the same. Or at least I do now.'

That bubble of hope had pretty much become twice his size right now. He stood up and rounded his desk. 'You do?'

'Yeah.'

'And you're not just saying that because of Cliff, or-'

'Danny, give me some credit. I'm capable of making up my own mind.' Danny arched an eyebrow at her. 'Fine, I'm mostly capable of making up my own mind. Eventually. But I'm sure about this.'

The corner of Danny's mouth quirked up of its own accord. 'Yeah?'

'Yeah. So kiss me, Castellano.'

'No.'

'Dude. What?'

'I'm taking you out. Dinner. Tonight. I'll pick you up at eight.'

Mindy's eyes widened before she smiled broadly up at him. 'Ok.' Then she bounded out of his office happily singing along to some song he only vaguely recognised as he sat back down, a mile wide grin plastered on his face.


End file.
